The O.H. Kruse Feed Technology Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art research unit at Kansas State University. Officially opened in October 2013, the center includes production, teaching and research facilities.
Leading OEMs in the grain sector made a major contribution to the construction of the center, donating equipment worth almost $3 million. Baldor Reliance® motors and Dodge® gearing products – supplied by ABB – are used extensively in the center’s equipment.
Companies participating in the project included ASI-Industrial, which acted as subcontractor for construction of the main tower and was responsible for approving and installing equipment in the facility; Screw Conveyor Corporation, which delivered screw conveyors and screw feeders; Intersystems, which supplied self-cleaning drag conveyors and a 12-bin vitamin and mineral dispensing system; and SCAFCO, which contributed bucket elevators and a 700,000 liter grain bin.
The OEMs cited many different reasons for specifying Baldor Reliance® and Dodge® motors and gearing products for their equipment. The main benefits are summarized below.
Baldor Reliance® Super-E® premium efficient motors
- NEMA Premium® efficient electrical design provides excellent energy savings
- Motors run cooler, longer and with better reliability
Baldor Reliance® explosion-proof motors
- Used in hazardous environments within the center – areas where combustible dust is present all or some of the time.
- Full cast iron construction with corrosion-resistant epoxy finish delivers reliability and a long operating life
Dodge® Motorized Torque-Arm II® (MTA) gear reducers
- No belts or guards needed, so MTAs are easy to install and safer
- More than 1.8 million units in service means proven dependability
- Reducers combine compact, space-saving design with ease of maintenance
- Patented twin tapered bushing system eliminates fretting corrosion and reducer wobble
Dodge® Quantis® Right-Angle Helical Bevel (RHB) reducers
- Reducers provide greater torque density in a compact housing
- Self-sealed units mean less maintenance
Dodge® Imperial® bearing
- Patented “push/pull” adapter system makes for easy installation
- Patented sealing system keeps lubrication in and contaminants out